


One White Pikmin

by princce7



Series: Memorable Moments [1]
Category: Pikmin (Video Game), stephenplays (youtuber)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:01:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27538006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princce7/pseuds/princce7
Summary: Louie wants to prove his capabilities to Olimar in the depths of the Bulblax Kingdom...
Relationships: platonic - Relationship
Series: Memorable Moments [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2012818
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	One White Pikmin

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [One White Pikmin](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/712966) by Stephenplays. 



According to the ship’s sensors, ther e were no more tunnels deeper, and a geyser on this floor. It was the final layer of this cave, and the only thing to be seen from this entry point was some fire geysers, and eyes glinting in the darkness. Both Captains are alert, having faced so many of the  bulborb family so far, commanding the pikmin to cover the spouts the flame shot out of. Olimar was about to lead the way when Louie  tapped his shoulder, causing  him to pause. 

“Is everything alright?” Olimar asks,  doing a glance over for the integrity of Louie’s suit. In answer, Louie just nodded. “Then we should  wrap up, don’t you think? Then we can both get some rest.” When Olimar started to lead the way again, Louie stepped  in front , blocking the way. Olimar wasn’t sure what was going on with his  crewmate , but  at least he knew that expression; Louie was gathering himself to say something.

Ok then; he would hear this out.

After a moment, Louie got the  words out. “Let me scout.”

“What? Louie, we should stick together, we can see the eyes from here-“

“I ’ll figure it out. One white. ”

“Louie, I don’t think- “

“Poisonous,  if eaten.”

Olimar sighed. Louie seemed to want to prove something; he really didn’t need to, but… He hated the idea of sending Louie out alone.

Then again, he was right here. “Fine: one white. Call me as soon  as you feel overwhelmed; _you have nothing to prove to me._ ” Olimar thr ew in that last bit as a hope of discouraging this attempt.  It was true of course; risking their lives like this shouldn’t even be a part of their job description, but…

All he got in response was a nod, and a thumbs up. Olimar threw one white to the side, and called the rest of the pikmin further back into the  cave, further from those eye slits gleaming in the shadows.  He wanted to call Louie back, nervous for his  crewmate as he stepped forward, single white pikmin in hand.

There was a natural lurch forward to help Louie as the ground shook, and out emerged… an Emperor  Bulblax . Olimar held  himself back though, as Louie retreated a little, enough for the  Bulblax to lose sight and interest, and go back to its slumber.

He expected Louie to be satisfied, _wanted_ Louie to be satisfied. He was already coming to rejoin  the other, speaking into the comms. “I’ve faced this beast before,  just follow my-“

“No.”

The no was so  confident that Olimar stopped. “I- Louie, you don’t need to figure out its patterns, I already know how it works.”

“I don’t. ” there was an unspoken ‘let me do this’ as they made eye contact. Louie was so… abnormally focused.

Olimar sighed. “Fine.”

** “Fine!? Captain, you cannot call this snails pace fine; if we know how to tackle this beast we should do so at once!” ** **** The ship’s interjection was unwanted, but it did seem to make Louie pause, as if he didn’t have to do this.

…

Seeing Louie’s confidence drop was worse than the anxiety of letting him try this. Olimar knew he could step in if it started to take a turn for the worst. Instead of using the opportunity to finally talk Louie down…

“Will you buzz off? Just a while ago you were talking about how he should be taking more initiative!  There’s no other threat to worry about, Louie can do this!”

That split second’s smile made this whole  terrifying situation worth it. Louie had decent survival skills. He… he  _ could  _ do this. Olimar was just worried about if he didn’t manage to…

It was absolutely Nerve-wracking the time spent watching Louie and that lone white  pikmin go in circles around the  Bulblax . There were times where both thought that sticky tongue finally slurped up the white pikmin, only for them to hear the  _ “ _ _ ih _ _ , nah, mi,  _ _ hya _ _ ” _ with the white valiantly tickling the  bulblax’s toes. Time was… impossible to decipher in this cavern.

And then Louie’s aim had the pikmin landing on the  Bulblax’s face. It was doing… something. Some sort of damage. The  bulblax hopped, an action Olimar knew was capable of squashing an entire squadron. The motion harmed no one though, and nothing was underneath.  All it did was dislodge the white pikmin from its face, which Louie Called back to throw again. The bruising could be seen where the white had been previous.

Surely by now Louie had a grasp enough on the creature’s motions?  It was… perplexing, how well a single white was doing but… Olimar spoke into the comms. “I can join in whenever… I’ll follow your lead.” Th e captain would do as needed to be as safe as possible, but Louie was doing just fine as it was, more or less. Perhaps leading the charge would allow Louie to feel as if help wasn’t invalidating  w hat he was trying to do.

The single white fighting went on a bit longer,  before Louie came back to Olimar, where the  Bulbax couldn’t reach. “More whites.”

“More- Louie, **_please,_** we have reds and purples to work with, and you’ve… somehow done a remarkable amount of damage.”

“It’s slow. I think it knows they’re poisonous? I need more white.” Louie stood there, waiting for Olimar to disband the pikmin. After a moment of the stare,  Olimar gave in, and  Louie took the fifteen white  pikmin into battle.

...Olimar never had to step in. Never had to join in with the reds and purples, as the bulblax gave its death cry. Only three white pikmin died, and Louie set the remaining twelve on the treasure regurgitated upon the beast's impact with the earth.   
The ship said something about making their suits fire-resistant, and both captains just nodded in agreement. Louie takes initiative further as Olimar just processes what he watched. As the treasure and corpse were retrieved, and pikmin beat upon the wall on the other side of the cavern, he approached his coworker, confused, but... well, proud.

Sure, this one never did the giant leaps, and was notably small- perhaps a lack of sunlight affected it?- but all the same... “Louie, you did... astoundingly well. I-that beast, the emperor Bulblax, I encountered it when I crash-landed and... even with the help of feeding it bombrocks, I didn’t fair as well as you. Granted, I was racing the sun but... well-”   
**“What I believe the captain is saying is what the heck was that display? You took forever, and confounded us both!”**

“You can keep your thoughts to yourself! Yes, Louie, your method was... unorthodox, but it worked. Well done.”   
Louie nodded, giving a thumbs up. Olimar just smiled back; Louie had said plenty today, he wouldn’t ask for more. A pat on the back and they watched the wall fall under the pikmin’s attacks.    
...they’d get through this endeavor together.


End file.
